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1970 Porsche 914/6 GT

Sold For €241.250

Originally built to GT-spec and maintained by renowned Porsche privateer Max Moritz

Extensive rally history in Germany between 1971 and 1975

Winner of the GT Class in the 1972 Stuttgart-Strasbourg-Stuttgart Rally

Competitor in the 1972 Olympia Rally

Fully restored by marque specialists Mittelmotor, completed in 2017

The 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours will be forever remembered for Porsche’s first outright win. Less widely recognized is that a diminutive new Porsche GT car, the 914/6 GT, finished in 6th place overall – winning the 2.0-litre GT class in the process – having started from 45th place on the grid.

Delivered new to Friedrich Graepel of Loningen on 4 March 1971, preparation for this particular 914/6 – including upgrading to GT specification – was entrusted to respected Porsche team Autohaus Max Moritz. A team who would become one of Porsche’s most loyal privateer outfits, Moritz had run a 914/6 to considerable effect in long-distance races in 1970, a car known as one of the fastest, and were instrumental in preparing this car for Mr Graepel in the 1971 Deutche Rallye Meisterschaft.

The car’s first competitive outing was the International Rallye Lyon-Charbonnieres-Stuttgart-Solitude in March, which resulted in retirement. However, the team’s fortunes improved with 2nd place in the 2.0-litre GT class in the ADAC Rallye Ulm the following month, and further class 2nd places in the Spionen Rally in July and the Sportliche Prufungsfahrt Solitude in October.

The following year again saw the car participate in six DRM events, the high point being a victory in the combined GT class in the Stuttgart-Strasbourg-Stuttgart Rally. Other noteworthy performances were a 4th in class in the Lyon-Charbonnieres, and a class 5th place in the Olympia Rallye – the winning combination of Jean-Pierre Nicholas, Jean Todt and Works Alpine Renault in the latter signifying the quality of the entry.

Unused in 1973 and 1974, the car was entered in the 1975 Lyon-Charbonnieres, although an unfortunate accident in practice heralded the end of its competitive career. Thereafter the car remained in storage in a damaged and semi-dismantled state. After Mr Graepel passed away in 2001, the family later sold the car to Porsche specialists Mittelmotor GmbH who completed an exacting rebuild to original specification in 2017, including the Max Moritz upgraded engine to ‘Carrera 6’ specification. A dyno-sheet confirms the engine produces 218 bhp.

Eminently versatile and usable, the car boasts an FIA-certified rollcage, detachable fiberglass panels (as homologated), 914/6 GT aluminium brake callipers and twin-plug ignition 2-litre engine, with correct 906-style fan arrangement. It is accompanied by a fascinating history file including all race results, current FIA HTP and its first original German Kraftfahrzeugbrief, and would be an equally welcome addition to either Rally Special Stage or Le Mans Classic Plateau.